Llama Plunge! Skippy Rescued from Underground Reservoir
Firefighters raced to the rescue of Skippy, a stranded llama trapped nearly two metres underwater in an underground reservoir near Funtington. The dramatic rescue unfolded shortly after 5pm on Tuesday.
Owner’s Quick Thinking Saved the Day
Skippy’s owner dialled 999 after the curious llama escaped his enclosure and crashed through the roof of a reservoir off Adsdean Park Road. Fire crews from Bognor Regis and the Technical Rescue Unit swung into action, with support from Hampshire & Isle of Wight’s Havant team and a local vet.
Challenging Rescue in Dark, Watery Depths
Using a short extension ladder, firefighters carefully removed parts of the reservoir’s roof to reach Skippy. TRU Watch Manager Mick Lewin described the ordeal: “This was quite a challenging rescue to carry out, as not only did we have an animal that was quite distressed, but also in a dark, enclosed space under several feet of water.”
“Our main priority was to calm Skippy down and prevent injury to him or our teams. Once stable, we lifted him to dry land for a vet check,” Lewin added.
“Skippy’s owner did the right thing calling for help rather than risking danger trying to rescue him themselves.”
All’s Well That Ends Well
Thankfully, Skippy has made a full recovery after his splashy adventure. Firefighters hope the cheeky llama will think twice before any more midnight explorations.
